TEDGlobal 2009
Cynthia Schneider: The surprising spread of Idol TV
Cynthia Schneider: La sorprendente dispersion de "Idolo" TV
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Cynthia Schneider analiza dos programas internacionales del estilo de "American Idol", uno en Afganistan y otro en los Emiratos Arabes Unidos, mostrando el sorprendente efecto que esas competiciones de la reality-TV estan teniendo en sus sociedades.
Cynthia Schneider - Cultural diplomacy expert
Cynthia Schneider studies culture and politics -- watching how novels, TV shows and cultural engagement around the globe (and especially within the Muslim world) might lead to political change. She was the US ambassador to the Netherlands from 1998 to 2001. Full bio
Cynthia Schneider studies culture and politics -- watching how novels, TV shows and cultural engagement around the globe (and especially within the Muslim world) might lead to political change. She was the US ambassador to the Netherlands from 1998 to 2001. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:15
I'd like to ask you,
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Me gustaria preguntarles
00:17
what do these three people have in common?
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que tienen en comun estas tres personas?
00:22
Well, you probably recognize the first person.
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Bueno, probablemente reconozcan la primera persona.
00:24
I'm sure you're all avid "American Idol" watchers.
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Estoy segura que todos son avidos seguidores de "American Idol"
00:27
But you might not recognize Aydah Al Jahani,
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Tal vez no reconozcan a Aydah Al Jahani,
00:30
who is a contestant, indeed a finalist,
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quien es una concursante, en realidad, finalista
00:33
in the Poet of the Millions competition,
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en la competencia del Poeta de los Millones,
00:36
which is broadcast out of Abu Dhabi,
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que se emite desde Abu Dabi,
00:38
and seen throughout the Arab world.
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y se ve a traves del mundo arabe.
00:40
In this contest
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En este concurso
00:42
people have to write and recite
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la gente tiene que escribir y recitar
00:45
original poetry, in the Nabati form of poetry,
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poesia original en la forma de poesia Nabati
00:48
which is the traditional Bedouin form.
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que es la manera tradicional Beduina.
00:51
And Lima Sahar was a finalist
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Y Lima Sahar fue una finalista
00:54
in the Afghan Star singing competition.
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en la competencia de canto Estrella Afgana
00:58
Now, before I go any further,
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Ahora, antes de que siga avanzando,
01:00
yes, I know it all began with "Britain's Got Talent."
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si, ya se que todo comenzo con "Britain's Got Talent".
01:04
But my point in discussing this
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Pero mi punto, al hablar sobre esto
01:07
is to show you -- I hope I'll be able to show you
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es mostrarles, espero poder mostrarles
01:10
how these merit-based competitions,
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como estas competencias basadas en merito
01:14
with equal access to everyone,
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con acceso igualitario para todos,
01:17
with the winner selected via voting by SMS,
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con el ganador seleccionado via mensajes de texto,
01:20
are changing tribal societies.
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estan cambiando las sociedades tribales.
01:23
And I'm going to focus on Afghanistan
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Y ahora me voy a centrar en Afganistan
01:25
and the Arab world with the UAE,
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y el mundo arabe con los Emiratos Arabes Unidos,
01:28
how they're changing tribal societies,
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como estan cambiando las sociedades tribales,
01:31
not by introducing Western ideas,
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no al introducir ideas de la sociedad occidental
01:33
but by being integrated into the language in those places.
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pero al integrarse en el lenguaje de esos lugares.
01:37
It all begins with enjoyment.
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Y todo comienza con el placer.
01:42
Video: We are late to watch "Afghan Star."
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(Video): Estamos atrasados para ver Estrella Afgana
01:45
We are going to watch "Afghan Star." We are late.
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Vamos a ver Estrella Afgana. Estamos retrasados.
01:48
We are running late.
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Vamos llegando tarde.
01:51
We must go to watch "Afghan Star."
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Tenemos que ir a ver Estrella Afgana
01:56
Cynthia Schneider: These programs are reaching incredibly deeply into society.
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Estos programas estan penetrando en la sociedad de una manera increible.
02:01
In Afghanistan, people go to extraordinary lengths
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En Afganistan, la gente hace cosas extraordinarias
02:04
to be able to watch this program.
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para poder mirar ese programa.
02:06
And you don't necessarily have to have your own TV set.
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Y uno no tiene necesariamente que tener una television.
02:09
People watch it all over the country
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La gente lo mira en todo el pais
02:11
also in public places.
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tambien en lugares publicos.
02:14
But it goes beyond watching,
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Pero va mas alla de mirar el programa,
02:17
because also, part of this
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tambien una parte de esto
02:20
is campaigning.
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es hacer campaña.
02:22
People become so engaged
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La gentre se involucra tanto
02:24
that they have volunteers, just like political volunteers anyway,
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que tienen voluntarios, como los voluntarios politicos,
02:28
who fan out over the countryside,
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que salen por el campo,
02:31
campaigning for their candidate.
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haciendo campaña por su candidato.
02:34
Contestants also put themselves forward.
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Los concurstantes tambien se proponen a sí mismos.
02:37
Now, of course there is a certain degree of ethnic allegiance, but not entirely.
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Ahora, por supuesto, existe un cierto grado de lealtad étnica, pero no totalmente.
02:41
Because each year the winner has come from a different tribal group.
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Porque cada temporada, el ganador ha surgido de una tribu diferente.
02:46
This has opened up the door,
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Esto ha abierto las puertas,
02:48
particularly for women.
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especialmente para las mujeres.
02:50
And in the last season there were two women in the finalists.
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Y en la ultima temporada hubo dos mujeres entre los finalistas.
02:53
One of them, Lima Sahar, is a Pashtun from Kandahar,
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Una de ellas, Lima Sahar, es una Pasthun de Kandahar,
02:56
a very conservative part of the country.
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una parte muy conservadora del pais.
02:59
And here she relates, in the documentary film "Afghan Star,"
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Y aqui ella relata, en el documental Estrella Afgana,
03:03
how her friends urged her not to do this
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como sus amigos le pidieron que no lo hiciera
03:06
and told her that she was leaving them for democracy.
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y le dijeron que los estaba dejando por la democracia.
03:09
But she also confides that
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Pero ella también confiesa que
03:12
she knows that members of the Taliban
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sabe que miembros del Taliban
03:14
are actually SMS-ing votes in for her.
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estan enviando mensajes de texto votando por ella.
03:19
Aydah Al Jahnani also took risks
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Aydah Al Jahnani también tomó riesgos,
03:22
and put herself out, to compete
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y se propuso, para competir
03:24
in the Poet of the Millions competition.
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en el concurso del Poeta de los Millones.
03:27
I have to say, her husband backed her from the start.
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Tengo que decir, que su esposo la apoyo desde el principio.
03:31
But her tribe and family urged her not to compete
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Pero su tribu y su familia le pidieron que no compitiera
03:34
and were very much against it.
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y estaban muy opuestos a esto.
03:36
But, once she started to win,
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Pero, una vez que comenzo a ganar,
03:39
then they got behind her again.
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entonces la apoyaron.
03:41
It turns out that competition and winning is a universal human value.
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Parece que competir y ganar es un valor humano universal.
03:47
And she's out there.
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Y ella esta allí afuera.
03:49
Her poetry is about women,
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Su poesia es acerca de las mujeres,
03:52
and the life of women in society.
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y la vida de las mujeres en la sociedad.
03:55
So just by presenting herself
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Asi que, simplemente al presentarse,
03:57
and being in competition with men --
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y competir con hombres --
03:59
this shows the voting on the program --
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esto muestra los votos del programa --
04:01
it sets a very important example for young women --
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pone un ejemplo muy importante para las jovenes --
04:04
these are young women in the audience of the program --
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estas son jovenes en la audiencia en vivo del programa --
04:07
in Abu Dhabi, but also people in the viewing audience.
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en Abu Dabi, pero tambien gente en la audiencia por TV.
04:11
Now you'd think that "American Idol"
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Ahora, ustedes piensan que "American Idol"
04:13
would introduce a measure of Americanization.
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podria introducir una forma de americanizacion.
04:16
But actually, just the opposite is happening.
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Pero en realidad, esta ocurriendo lo opuesto.
04:19
By using this engaging popular format
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Al usar este popular formato de participacion
04:22
for traditional, local culture,
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para cultura tradicional y local,
04:25
it actually, in the Gulf, is precipitating a revival
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en realidad, en el Golfo, esta precipitando un renacimiento
04:28
of interest in Nabati poetry,
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del interés en la poesia Nabati,
04:30
also in traditional dress and dance and music.
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tambien en vestimenta, danza y musica tradicionales.
04:34
And for Afghanistan,
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Y para Afganistan
04:36
where the Taliban banned music for many years,
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donde los Talibanes prohibieron la musica durante mucho tiempo,
04:40
it is reintroducing their traditional music.
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están re introduciendo su musica tradicional.
04:42
They don't sing pop songs,
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Ellos no cantan canciones pop,
04:44
they sing Afghan music.
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cantan musica afgana.
04:47
And they also have learned how to lose gracefully,
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Y tambien han aprendido como ser buenos perdedores,
04:50
without avenging the winner.
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sin vengarse del ganador.
04:52
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
04:54
No small thing.
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No es poco.
04:56
And the final, sort of, formulation
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Y la última, especie, de reformulación
05:02
of this "American Idol" format,
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de este formato de "American Idol"
05:05
which has just appeared in Afghanistan,
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que recién ha aparecido en Afganistan,
05:07
is a new program called "The Candidate."
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es un nuevo programa llamado "El Candidato".
05:10
And in this program, people present
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Y en este programa la gente presenta
05:12
policy platforms that are then voted on.
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plataformas politicas que luego son votadas.
05:15
Many of them are too young to run for president,
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Muchos de ellos son demasiado jovenes para presentarse a Presidente.
05:18
but by putting the issues out there,
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Pero al poner los temas sobre el tapete,
05:20
they are influencing the presidential race.
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están influenciando la carrera presidencial.
05:22
So for me, the substance of things unseen
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Por lo tanto, para mi, la sustancia de las cosas que no se ven,
05:25
is how reality TV is driving reality.
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es como la televisión "reality" esta cambiando la realidad.
05:29
Thank you.
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Gracias.
05:31
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Cynthia Schneider - Cultural diplomacy expertCynthia Schneider studies culture and politics -- watching how novels, TV shows and cultural engagement around the globe (and especially within the Muslim world) might lead to political change. She was the US ambassador to the Netherlands from 1998 to 2001.
Why you should listen
Cynthia P. Schneider is a Fellow at the Brookings Institution, where she leads the Arts and Culture Initiative within the Saban Center for Middle East Policy. In her work, she looks at the Muslim world through its cultural products (movies, films, books and shows), and searches for clues to deeper social change.
Cynthia Schneider | Speaker | TED.com